Museum is being refurbished Nov. to March and there may be a charge for Talks elsewhere. Details later.

For more information: 01258 452831

We hope to see you!

Best wishes,

Sally (Woodlock)

Secretary of Blandford Museum Archaeology Group

Blandford Museum Archaeology Club

Blandford Archaeology Group was started in December 2011 under the Blandford Schools and Community Dig project, which was funded by a grant from Heritage Lottery to the Blandford Museum. The group was formed out of an Archaeology course that was organised by archaeologist, Julian Richards, Ancient Technology Centre Manager, Luke Winter and Blandford School teacher, Bruce Hansen.

The club was formed after the course finished and has formalised its affiliation with the Blandford Museum. We meet at the museum on the 3rd Thursday of each month at 7:30pm, unless there is a field trip organised. New members are most welcome. The annual membership fee is £10, which provides a museum membership, with the Archaeology Club as your main interest (and membership fees going to support club activities).

We have had a brilliant year to date. Attendances at all our Talks have filled the room, often to overflowing, and membership has greatly increased this year too.

Our success has been because we have been lucky enough to get exceptional Speakers: Lilian Ladle, Paul Cheetham, Julian Richards, Steve Wallis, Lawrence Shaw, Julie Smith for Edrys Barkham’s Report, and Mike Allen. Next month on Thursday 17th May, Adrian Green of Salisbury Museum will be speaking on the life and discoveries of General Pitt-Rivers. This will be a good follow-up on Mike Allen’s Talk on Wor Barrow last month, where General Pitt-Rivers had done much exceptional digging.

We close for the summer months, when people have better things to do, then reopen again on the third Thursday of the month in September. We already have some additional Archaeologists lined up for that season.

We have also been fortunate in organising Finds Days in November and March when the finds Liaison Officer, Ciorstaidh H Trevarthen together with Claire Pinder, Senior Dorset County Archaeologist visited our Museum to examine items bought in and evaluate/describe them. The many items included coins of Trajan and Richard II, stoneware, flints, sheep’s foot bone, parts of Clay Pipes, medieval pottery, beautifully beaded Edwardian bags, and a Tawse - an instrument of punishment by (usually Scottish) schoolmaster that had 5 strips of leather! Our next Finds Days are on Thursday 26th July in the Museum, and Thursday 29th November – place yet to be determined due to Museum renovations. They occur between 10.30 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Do bring your articles along to show Ciorstaidh, and help build Blandford’s History. So far we have only found medieval items from within Blandford but Blandford has Burgage Plots which could be Saxon or Norman, and there have been Roman Finds all around Blandford but not from within, so please go digging in your gardens.

Our Quiz in January was again very, very enjoyable with Julian Richards as M.C. There were loads of Raffle prizes, so most went home happy. Our grateful thanks to our Di Hankins for organising it.

We are not likely to be digging at Bryanston this year, but we have other sites in mind when we have made arrangements with the Farmers.

Our events are listed on the Notice Board in the Archway to the Museum, and in Forum Focus. Talks start at 7.30 p.m. but doors open at 7 p.m., and are free, but we hope you will give a donation. Everyone is invited.